X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Multiple buildings with separate solar

    Is it possible to have more than one system feed my acreage from multiple sites if I lose main line provider? I want to get into Solar as a backup but have multiple buildings and more than one solar system in storage to be used in the future. My idea is that all buildings would have access to power from all the solar sources as a collective.
    Dale

  • #2
    Basically solar is a very poor choice for a backup system. Try a generator. Some run off natural gas and
    will transfer over automatically. Bruce Roe

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by DataWest View Post
      all buildings would have access to power from all the solar sources as a collective.
      Dale
      This part is really difficult and expensive to do.
      OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

      Comment


      • #4
        If you have the $$. it can be done.

        For instance. feeding from the main inverter in my power shed, is Water filter - 1,000 feet up a hill (240VAC) My shop - 30 feet away, my house - 300 ft away. Pump shed 400' away (240VAC 1/2 hp), irrigation timers 1,200' run off a 240-24V step-down transformer. (much more reliable than battery operated 8 station timers.

        You situate your battery & solar sheds near your main panel, and only have a short feeder from each to the other, then back to your existing premise wiring. BUT, I'd suggest install a generator instead of battery backup. Generators are much cheaper than batteries every 5 years. Grid tied solar, no problem. GT solar with generator backup -no problem. Add batteries, LOTS more cost.
        Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
        || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
        || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

        solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
        gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

        Comment


        • #5
          Are all the buildings on 1 meter from the power company?

          Comment


          • #6
            Look around for AC coupled systems. There is a Sunny Island inverter that will coordinate other inverters and deal with the required large battery bank and the tie to the grid. Dependent on the length of the runs, you also could go DC coupled and run the DC to one common point and control each array on separate MPTT circuits.

            Not cheap and somewhat complex. Lot to be said for generator and source of fuel for backup.

            Comment


            • #7
              Sure it can be done. If you use $1 bills as heat to cook and heat your home with go for it.
              MSEE, PE

              Comment


              • #8
                Yes all buildings are on the same meter, just thinking that if SHTF then I won't have power from the utility company, although a genset is a nice option - likely won't have fuel in the long term.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by DataWest View Post
                  Yes all buildings are on the same meter, just thinking that if SHTF then I won't have power from the utility company, although a genset is a nice option - likely won't have fuel in the long term.
                  If there is a SHTF event, then electricity is probably not a priority to staying alive and healthy.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    If you are planning that there isn't going to be fuel for generator on the long horizon then having electricity for your outbuildings is the least of your needs. I'd say you're better off putting your money into a nice well hand pump like this. And maybe a couple of solar panels and a car battery so you can charge your zombie detectorIMG_1320.JPG

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I would like a pump like that but in reality my well is 120ft deep, so I need power to get water from my well unless it's winter. Then I can melt snow or collect rain in the summer. There is nothing wrong with trying to have power if SHTF in my opinion.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by DataWest View Post
                        I would like a pump like that but in reality my well is 120ft deep, so I need power to get water from my well unless it's winter. Then I can melt snow or collect rain in the summer. There is nothing wrong with trying to have power if SHTF in my opinion.
                        Nothing wrong at all, but providing emergency power with PV and batteries is probably more expensive and cumbersome than doing so with a fossil fuel powered generator running on propane or diesel and using batteries.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by DataWest View Post
                          I would like a pump like that but in reality my well is 120ft deep, so I need power to get water from my well unless it's winter. Then I can melt snow or collect rain in the summer. There is nothing wrong with trying to have power if SHTF in my opinion.
                          I hear you. My well is 500 feet deep, my well pump is about 460 feet down that well. The hand pump you see has 60 feet of 1 inch pipe going into the well. The well head is about 22 feet down. That means 38 feet of pipe is in water. My well recharges at 4 gallons a minute. I use a generator to pump up "vast quantities" of water which is anything more than 100 gallons in an hour. And I have another, smaller, generator to brew my coffee. I also have a very small solar array and a small 12 volt battery bank to power a few small items and that is mostly running the electric fence for the pigs and now LED lights for egg laying chickens in the winter, and charging a very few consumer electric items for me. The generator(s) are easier to maintain and keeping up with batteries correctly is time consuming. Checking spec gravity, charting that stuff, weather and temp, cloudy days, etc.. I can't imaging going to several different locations and doing that with a few different battery banks. Keeping the generators is much more $$ practical for the typical power outage, or even a few weeks of power outage. I don't want to go into the weeds, but I think seriously prepping for long termSHTF is a serious lifestyle change.

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X